Remember a few days ago, I said that we didn't want to rent the bikes in Paris because it just seemed too daunting to ride in city traffic? As luck would have it, we were wandering through the gardens in Versailles and saw a sign for bike rentals.
Isabella immediately asked if we could do it. I hesitated only because I myself really hadn't been on a bike for over 15 years (even though I used to ride a lot as a teenager, oh so long ago). I had a flash of me sprawled out in the lovely French countryside. The idea, though, of finding myself in such surroundings with a lovely French bike with a basket on the front won out and so, we rented the bikes.
It really is true. You never forget how to ride a bike. The weight of my camera bag on the front of the bike made the balance a little bit off, but I was able to ride pretty much as I had remembered.
Isabella got a little scared, since she had only ridden in a paved playground on a smaller bike. She did a fine job, though yelled every now and then because she was a little unbalanced on the new bike.
I tried to impress upon her the greatness of the feat of her riding on a dirt path and cobblestone roads for the first time in a non-playground ride. It was difficult to keep the bike stable on those roads. I know that she can handle a big bike. Now to get home and get her one!
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